HoneyBerry
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Location: Zone 8A Western Washington State

Planting Milkweed

I did a little research and found that Showy Milkweed is the type of milkweed best for the Pacific Northwest region of Washington, which is where I am located. I don't know where to find Showy Milkweed starts or seeds yet. I need to check around. I'd like to plant some this spring, which is now. I think that is the best time. But I did read somewhere that fall is best, to scatter the seeds in the fall and then wait until the following spring. Then I read to plant in the spring after all danger of frost has passed. If I can find some nursery starts, I think that would work best and I could plant them now. I'd appreciate some advice, if anybody knows how best to plant milkweed in the Pacific Northwest region. I want to plant several patches. I have a good sunny location for most if it. I also have a good partially shady spot on the north side, but am not sure if that spot will work for Showy Milkweed.

Susan W
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I happen to grow a few milkweed plants from seed, and perhaps can offer some suggestions. I grow for myself and to sell plants at the market.

You are right to check for what is best for your area, which not the same as the mid-south! I do grow the tropical, annual and there is some controversy with that, but most of the nays don't follow logic and the butterfly. I also grow rose aka swamp which I think is more central and eastern US. This year I am adding prairie aka sullivants which is more north central and just borders me.

I stay away from the common as it can be a bit headstrong in our small yards. I checked on the showy and it could also be a bit aggressive. For seeds I mostly use Prairie Moon nursery. Check out their site!

From my experience, the butterfly weed and tropical can be sown however best for you. I use peat pellets. The perennial varieties need to be chilled. I sow in the 12 per peat pellet and put in veggie drawer for about 30 days. Tropical blooms 1st year, well, is an annual! Butterfly weed is 2nd year. I have also noticed that the adult (butterfly, bees etc) nectar on the butterfly weed, but no cats. The leaves are narrow and a bit coarse.

As a side note, I had about 6 of the swamp mweeds left at the end of the season, in qt pots. They don't bloom 1st season. I upped to 2.5 qt, left the stalk be, and left outside. To my excitement, I think all are putting out new growth! A couple are spoken for by regular customers. Note to self -get a dozen or so started this summer, let winter in pot, and put it out for next season!

I'll stop while I'm ahead. This has been one of my areas of focus.

HoneyBerry
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This is good, to have you as a resource. Milkweed is new for me. It will be fun to see the results.

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applestar
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I lik Prairie Moon too -- their site and catalog is a great resource for information as well. Someone sent me a link for another site to check out their milkweed listing : https://www.smartseedstore.com/store.htm ... rt=nameAsc

HoneyBerry
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Fantastic! So many beautiful varieties to choose from. It will be fun. Thank you very much!

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Here is more information on showy milkweed.

https://monarchbutterflygarden.net/milkw ... -speciosa/

HoneyBerry
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Showy is recommended for my climate zone, but I don't like plants that have agressive and invasive characteristics. My friend must have had Showy. She complained that it popped up in places she didn't want it in, so she finally got rid of it altogether. I need to do some research first and then decide.

Susan W
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Location: Memphis, TN

You're on the right path there BL! Do check around for what is appropriate for your area, and try to get seeds, knowing this is long term perhaps next season. By May-June, there should be MWeeds in your garden centers. Check your local suppliers, perhaps even farmers market (waving my little flag!). Some offered are cultivars, and don't spread by seed, may just get a bigger clump. You do know some plants offered at the box stores pretreated with the nasty systemic neonics.

I'm sorry can't offer much help on your western-Pacific milkweeds and more important life cycle of the monarchs. I am thinking yours migrate to California, (Pacific Grove?) Visiting there is overwhelmingly awesome.

marin29
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Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2016 1:11 pm
Location: SF Bay Area, Zone 10a

I planted milkweed for the first time last year. It was amazing how the monarch are able to find it. Unfortunately I learned the hard way that if you want to raise the caterpillars indoors (to protect them from birds), you should not give them newly purchased milkweed, at least not in California where the nurseries are required to treat them with a larvicide (https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=125). I bought the plants at a hardware store with a garden department, and wasn't informed of this. So I killed 5 monarch caterpillars :(. However, I did get 3 caterpillars that I was able to watch transform into monarchs.

I just bought 3 different species of milkweed at the nursery I linked to above and I'm trying to figure out where to plant it. Last year I planted Asclepia fasicularis and tropical milkweed. They are very prone to orange aphids, which can be hosed or wiped off pretty easily, though it's a bit of a hassle. I bought some showy milkweed, and I'm hoping that they are not prone to aphids because I want to plant them on a fairly steep out of the way hillside and it won't be easy to treat them if they become infested with aphids. I also bought Asclepia cordifolia, Asclepia curassavica, and more of the fasicularis. I also bought a couple of lupine species. Hoping to see many butterflies this summer!

LIcenter
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Location: Long Island, NY Zone 7a/6b-ish

If anyone is interested, here is a excellent site on anything you might want to know about milkweed. If you click on the 'locate milkweed' tab, and then scroll down to your particular state you will see a list of all milkweed native to your area. I'm not a seed grower, and found it was very hard to find Common milkweed at my independent garden center/growers. This year three are now carrying it, so it looks like many GC's are now getting on board with the milkweed phenomenon. https://www.growmilkweedplants.com/

Also milkweed will attract many other types of butterfly,s, so don't forget to plant a few host plants for them also, like Fennel, Dill and Parsley to name a few.

HoneyBerry
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Location: Zone 8A Western Washington State

Thanks. I had given up on the planting milkweed idea but I will reconsider, do some more research.



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